The Project
by Gods and Goddesses
Summary: Being trained to fight is a way to help your self though this deadly game called life. Not knowing you can fight doesn't really help you a lot. Chapter 4 up now.
1. Default Chapter

Running . . . that's all Harry knew. He knew he was running. Walls would appear before him as he turned sharply to the side to take a different route. He didn't know where to or why he was running. He just knew he was running. Running with a slight smile upon his sixteen-year-old face. He kept looking behind him as if he was waiting for something . . . looking for something, or someone. He finally came to a dead end and stopped. He waited in silence. He could hear his heartbeat inside his chest and his breathing as he listened to his surroundings. He caught his breath before he started running again, this time, in a different direction. He ran as fast as he could, which was very fast. He had arrows in a bag on his back as well as a bow and two small blades at his belt.  
  
  
  
Suddenly he heard footsteps coming from the right. He ran as quickly as he could to the left until he heard footsteps coming from that way. He ran straight as he kept up his pace. Footsteps came closer until Harry heard something flying towards his head. He moved just in time to see an arrow fly past. Turing around, he grabbed an arrow from the sack and lined it up on the bow. He quickly shot it. It landed right by the target.  
  
  
  
"Good shot!" a man said looking at the wall beside him. The arrow was right next to his head. It was aimed for that spot. No one wanted to shoot an arrow shot directly into someone's head, well, except for the enemy of course.  
  
  
  
"I'm getting better," Harry said.  
  
"We'll work on this next time," the man said before the room started to get darker and darker before everything went pitch black. The sounds disappeared only to be replaced by the sound of a loud beeping . . . . . . ..  
  
  
  
BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP  
  
Harry cursed silently at the alarm clock as he hit it with his hand to shut it off. He opened his eyes to let the light of summer in. Strangely, he was panting like if he was running all night. He shrugged. It's been that way for a while. Every morning, he would wake up out of breath. Standing up from his bed, he grabbed his glasses and went over to his closet to grab some clothes. It was a simple sleeveless green shirt and a pair of jean shorts. Running a comb through his hair, he quickly ran down the stairs.  
  
  
  
"What have I told you about making so much noise?" his uncle asked as he appeared at the end of the staircase.  
  
  
  
"Sorry, Uncle Vernon," Harry answered. He quickly grabbed a few pancakes before running back up to is room. "Breakfast is here, Hedwig," he said to his snowy owl. Hedwig hooted in response as a section of a pancake was broken up into her food dish. She hopped over and ate it. Harry sat on his bed to eat what he had gotten. It wasn't much but it was something. After all, he was entitled to a breakfast since he finished his chores on time.  
  
  
  
After finishing his breakfast, he went down to his aunt to see what his chores were for the day. She handed him a list. It contained most of the usual, but it seemed a little longer than what it was the day before. Wanting to eat, Harry set to work right away. He decided to water the plants first. The plants were his aunt's favorite. They grew large with their radiant colors.  
  
  
  
"Why must it be so hot during the summer?" Harry asked no one as he walked out the front door. He grabbed the hose at the side of the house and dragged it over to the flowers. After turning it on, he gave the flowers some water but not too much to drown them before setting the hose down and starting on another project, sweep the dirt off the patio and walkway.  
  
  
  
His chores went on and on and finished with the usual, 'I was re-watering the plants when I 'accidentally' sprayed myself.' It was a good way to end a hot day. He finished his chores with an hour to spare before his uncle got home. Harry was surprised that it took so little time to do so many chores. Shrugging, he walked inside after he was sure he wasn't about to drip all over the house.  
  
  
  
"I'm done," he said to his aunt who was in the kitchen cooking.  
  
She looked at him confused. "You finished everything there was on that list?" she asked. Harry nodded and held out the list. She took it and read it. Looking out the window, she checked everything. "You had to have done something wrong. There's no way you could've done everything already. That should've lasted you all weekend!"  
  
  
  
"I finished everything. Go and check if you don't believe it!" Harry said defensively.  
  
  
  
"I'll check later, when I don't have something important in the oven. We're having company over and you're to be on your best behavior! Go upstairs and clean yourself up. Vernon is trying to prove that he has a loving family to workers at work and you better not ruin it for him!"  
  
  
  
"I'm suppose to actually leave my room when they come?" Harry asked surprised.  
  
  
  
"He thought it would be a good point to bring up that we raised you when you're not our child," his aunt said as she checked what was in the oven. "Now go and clean up! They'll be here in a hour!"  
  
  
  
Harry left the room to head upstairs to his room. He sat on his bed for a few moments. He had to think about what was going on. He was actually supposed to make an appearance when other people were over? This was different. Deciding not to wait till the last moment to get ready, he quickly showered and changed. He wore something that a regualr teenager would wear to dress up a tiny bit. At last he put in contacts. Remus had gotten them for him for his sixteenth birthday. They were magical. They didn't need a prescription. After getting ready, he sat down at his desk and took out a textbook. It was the last essay he had to write. Since he had been getting his chores done early, he was actually getting his homework done. He took out his book from Transfiguration. It was an essay on the magically types of animals. Professor McGonagall thought that it would be wise for them to know about different animals so they could easily transfigure an item into them. She believed that it would be a better way to learn.  
  
  
  
Half an hour later, his uncle arrived home. Harry heard them talking before hearing his uncle walking up the stairs. A few minutes later, he walked back down the stairs but not before knocking on Harry's door forcefully. Harry opened it and looked outside. His uncle was heading down the stairs. The knock obviously meant for him to come down. Quickly grabbing his gold chain necklace from Sirius and putting it on, he followed his uncle down the stairs, Harry stopped in the living room. Aunt Petunia was fixing Dudley's clothes. She herself was dressed nicely. She looked over at Harry and at what he had decided to wear. It was simple clothes. Not much different than what he was wearing before, they were just clean and looked nicer. It was simple kakhi pants and a shortsleeve dark blue shirt with a few white stripes going across the top. It was perfect for his body build. Petunia opened her mouth as if to say something before closing it as if she thought what she was going to say was a lost cause.  
  
  
  
"They're going to be here any minute," Vernon said fixing his tie. He turned to Harry. "Now I don't want any problems. You're lucky that we're letting you leave your room at all!" From behind him, Dudley smirked. He was wearing more of like what Vernon was wearing, a suit. Harry was about to run off to his room until they came, when the doorbell rang. Harry began to walk to the door to answer it before Dudley spoke out.  
  
  
  
"I'll get the door!" he said. He walked to the door as Harry stayed in the corner. That's what he planned to do all night. He planned to stay in the corner. He didn't want to make his uncle mad. Plus, he didn't want to feel awkward if the guests asked him questions, like where he went to school and what classes he's taking. Harry would avoid that at all costs.  
  
  
  
He looked at the door as Dudley opened it. It revealed two people, a man and woman. They were both tall and dressed nicely. They looked pleasant, nothing like what his relatives looked like. They were completely opposite.  
  
  
  
"Welcome, Mark," Vernon said extending his hand. The man shook it.  
  
"Vernon, this is my wife, Alicia. Alicia, this is Vernon Dursley. He's in charge of the department," Mark said to his wife.  
  
  
  
She shook hands with Vernon nicely and replied, "Pleased to meet you," very quietly.  
  
  
  
"This is my wife Petunia, and my son Dudley," Vernon said pointing to each person. Harry watched as Mark and Alicia shook hands with everyone.  
  
"This must be the one you talk about a lot," Mark said looking down at Dudley.  
  
  
  
"Yes, my son Dudley," Vernon answered chuckling. Harry rolled his eyes before turning to go upstairs.  
  
  
  
"Who's this young man?" Alicia asked. Harry turned to see her looking at him.  
  
"This is my nephew Harry," Vernon answered.  
  
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you as well," Alicia said holding out her hand.  
  
  
  
Harry smiled slightly. "Nice to meet you too," he said shaking her hand. She smiled at him.  
  
  
  
"And so polite," she remarked.  
  
"Uncle Vernon, may I please go up to my room?" Harry asked trying to be polite.  
  
  
  
"Go ahead," he replied. "We'll call you down for dinner." Harry practically ran up the stairs and to his room. He sat in front of his desk and pulled out his quill. Hedwig was flying around outside. The window was open letting a cool breeze come in. The door was open slightly so the room had become cooler. He opened his book and resumed his homework.  
  
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"Your nephew lives with you?" Mark asked. They were sitting in the living room. Vernon and him were on the couches talking while Alicia and Petunia were drinking tea as they took a tour of the house. Dudley was sitting next to his father.  
  
  
  
"Yes, for fifteen years. He's sixteen now. His parents died when he was one. Lily Potter, his mother, was Petunia's sister. Harry was left under our care ever since," Vernon answered.  
  
  
  
"That's nice of you to take him in," Alicia commented as she and Petunia looked at the pictures on the walls. "I can't imagine what would happen to the poor boy if he was put in a orphanage."  
  
  
  
"Well, Lily and I were close," Petunia said.  
  
"Lily Potter, that name sounds familiar," Alicia said thinking about it. "I believe one of my friends knew her. She did say that she died tragically. Poor family. Both parents die leaving a one-year-old child."  
  
  
  
"Well, I believe dinner's almost ready," Petunia said, desperate to change the subject.  
  
  
  
"Shall I get your nephew?" Alicia asked.  
  
"That's not necessary," Petunia said smiling. "Vernon can get him."  
  
"Nonsense, him and Mark are talking up a storm. I don't want to interrupt them," Alicia said.  
  
  
  
Petunia was about to say something before the timer went off. She walked over to the oven and looked inside after turning the timer off. Alicia took the opportunity to explore the rest of the house and grab Harry. She saw him run up the stairs so she decided to try that way first. Making it to the landing, she looked around. One bedroom belonged to Vernon and Petunia; another belonged to their son. The last door had to be the right one. She knocked on it softly as she looked in.  
  
  
  
"Can I come in?" she asked. Harry turned around in surprise. She smiled softly. "I'm sorry to have startled you."  
  
  
  
"That's alright. I was too involved in my homework," Harry replied quickly putting away what he could. She walked in and partially closed the door behind her.  
  
  
  
"You like to read?" she asked pointing to a stack of books by his bed.  
  
"Yea. Sometimes during the night or before I go to sleep," Harry replied.  
  
"That's good. It's important to have a good book by the bed to read." She continued to look around. "Are these your friends?" She was looking at a framed picture sitting on the dresser. It was a muggle shot. In his fifth year, Ron was fascinated about how muggle pictures didn't move. It was a picture that Mrs. Weasley had taken of Ron, Hermione and him sitting in the grass at the Burrow. They were laughing as they were smiling. For his birthday, Ron had copied the photo three times and sent one to the both of them as he kept one for himself. Harry loved the picture.  
  
  
  
"Yea. That's Hermione and Ron. We were at Ron's house," Harry said.  
  
"It's a lovely picture," she said. "Well, I suppose we should head down. Dinner is almost done if not already done by now. I just came up to get you."  
  
  
  
The both of them left the room to head down the stairs and into the dining room. They were all seated around the table.  
  
  
  
"Well, we were living a few miles from here in another town," Mark was saying. They passed around the dishes. Harry took a small amount on his plate. Even if he was allowed to eat, he usually didn't eat a lot. He wanted to definitely keep his thin frame. He always ate enough though. He didn't starve himself. He wasn't like that. He just didn't eat to the point that his stomach was about to explode.  
  
  
  
"When did you move?" Petunia asked.  
  
  
  
"Just a few days ago," Mark answered. "Then I decided to start working at the drilling company when we moved."  
  
  
  
They continued eating with conversation. Early through dinner, Harry lost his appetite. He looked around the table and saw Dudley shoving everything he could in is mouth as fast as possible. It was something that would make anyone loose their appetite. Harry played with his food as he moved it around the plate with his fork.  
  
  
  
"Where do you boys go to school?" Alicia asked. Harry's head snapped up. He knew this was going to be asked. He knew it.  
  
  
  
"Dudley is going to Smeltings where I went," Uncle Vernon said looking a little nervous at the question. "It's an excellent school. One of the best."  
  
  
  
"And you Harry?" Alicia asked. Harry looked at his aunt and uncle for help. They looked a little nervous. He looked down at his plate.  
  
  
  
"Well, I go to the regular high school here," he answered.  
  
  
  
"That's nice. I like the regular public schools. Sometimes they can offer more than a private one and they're less money," Mark said finishing his food.  
  
  
  
"Aunt Petunia, can I go upstairs and finish my homework?" Harry asked anxious to get out of the room.  
  
  
  
"Go ahead," she said not really paying attention to him. Harry grabbed his plate and put it in the sink before turning to go upstairs. He went into his room and laid on the bed. It was dark out and Harry was tired. He remembered that there were a few of his birthday presents he still needed to look at. Fred and George sent his some of their pranks and Harry still had to read what each of them were. He also had to read a booklet on a cell phone. Hermione had enchanted a few cell phones to work inside the castle as well as out. She had gotten them in Tranfiguration. For extra credit, she transfigured three rocks into a muggle invention. She decided on cell phones. She thought they would be useful when they left school in the summer. She gave Ron and Harry one and kept one for herself. They could all talk to each other on them at the same time. Harry loved his. It was a flip phone. Hermone had made sure to load games in it so Harry wouldn't be bored. He had figured out the main things in the phone but still wanted to read the manual for anything else. Usually Harry kept it on him but tonight he took it off. When it's on him, he liked to hide it from his relatives. He didn't want them to take it away from him.  
  
  
  
He heard loud laughter coming from downstairs. Rolling his eyes, he grabbed the phone from his dresser and turned it on. Hedwig came flying through the window. She had a letter in her talons. She dropped it right next to him before heading to her cage. Harry put down the phone to grab the letter. It was from Hogwarts. He had already gotten his school letter on his birthday. Curiously, he opened the letter. It was from Dumbledore.  
  
  
  
Mr. Potter,  
  
  
  
After having to go through many letters from the Weasleys and Miss Granger reguesting that you to spend the rest of the summer at the Burrow, I have thought it over. I have informed Miss Granger and the Weasley family that they can pick you up tomorrow if you would like to spend the summer at the Burrow. Have a good time.  
  
  
  
Albus Dumbledore  
  
  
  
Harry smiled at the letter. He placed it down on hs bed before reaching for his phone. He dialed Ron's number. A few seconds later, Ron came on the other end. He was still getting used to talking on a phone. In the beginning, he kept running away from the phone when it rang, not knowing what the noise was.  
  
  
  
"Hey Ron," Harry said.  
  
  
  
"Hey Harry," Ron answered. Harry heard shouting coming from the background, it sounded like laughter and then shouting. It sounded as if Fred and George did something and Mrs. Weasley was yelling at them. Typical.  
  
  
  
"What did the twins do this time?"Harry asked.  
  
  
  
"You can hear that too?" Ron asked. "It's a nightmare over here. You should've seen the house yesterday. Mum was running around the house trying to grab Fred and George. They've been working hard on their inventions. Some are pretty good though. They've made ink that changes color when you write as well as when you tell it to. I'll send you a bottle. They decided to give me a few so I'm going to give one to you and Hermione."  
  
  
  
"Don't bother sending it," Harry said.  
  
  
  
"Why not?" Ron asked before stopping. "Wait a minute. Mum got a letter from Dumbledore this morning. Are you coming tomorrow?"  
  
  
  
"I hope so," Harry said. "I just got a letter from him. Literally just got it. It says that I'm finally allowed to go to the Burrow for the remander of summer."  
  
  
  
"This is great!" Ron excliamed. He started walking aorund the house. "Fred and George are outside playing quidditch. It's weird though because it's dark out. How can they see the bludger?"  
  
  
  
"Are they using a Bludger?" Harry asked.  
  
  
  
"I don't know. I can't see anything. They do have a few lights on though," Ron said.  
  
  
  
"I guess if they can see a Bludger in the dark, they can see a Bludger in the light. It would probably make them better Beaters," Harry remarked. Ron was silent for a minute.  
  
  
  
"Harry, you're turning into Hermione! She's the one who thinks reasonably!" Ron said. Harry laughed. "I don't want to have to deal with two Hermiones!"  
  
  
  
"Speaking of Hermione, is she visiting the Burrow?" Harry asked.  
  
  
  
"She's coming tomorrow morning," Ron answered. "When are you going to get here?"  
  
  
  
"I don't know. My aunt and uncle have company over now. I don't know when they're going to leave but maybe I'll come over tomorrow-late morning. Is that alright?" Harry asked.  
  
  
  
"That's fine. How are you getting here? Dad can drive there and get you."  
  
  
  
"One of my least favorite ways of travel. I think I have some floo powder so I'll use that."  
  
  
  
"I'll send more over right now," Ron said. Harry heard more movement in the backround. "Just incase you need it. I'll tell Mum. She'll be so happy. She ran around the house cleaning and cooking because she learned that Hermione was coming over. Wait until I tell her that you'll be coming over as well. She's been bugging me to ask the minute Dumbledore wrote back with permission."  
  
  
  
Harry heard someone coming up the stairs and quickly whispered to Ron that he had to leave before hanging up. It turned out to be Dudley walking to his room. He was going to grab something from his room to show the guests. Harry opened his trunk that was sitting off to the side of his room and started to put things in it. He was given his trunk because he claimed that it was the only way he was going to remain quiet and in his room all summer. Basically wanting him to get out of their hair, his aunt and uncle let him keep his trunk in his room as long as no magic was used. He packed away his quills, ink and homework. He also took down his pictures and added them to the trunk as well. He also remembered to look under his bed for the pranks from the twins as well as everything else he usually kept under there. He was basically all packed before he laid down on his bed. It was ten o'clock already. Time had passed quickly. He couldn't wait until the next day. He would finally be with the Weasleys. He definitley couldn't wait. He couldn't wait until he got back into the air.  
  
  
  
"Harry!" he heard his aunt yell from downstairs. He knew that she desperately wanted to call him 'boy' and not by his name but they had company over. Getting off his bed, he opened the door and walked downstairs.  
  
  
  
"Yes?" he asked as he reached the bottom.  
  
  
  
"Mark and Alicia are leaving," she said. She was in the kitchen. He walked into the living room to see them putting on their coats.  
  
  
  
"Well, that was a nice evening," Mark said shaking Vernon's hand. "We'll have to have you over one time. Well, we must be off. It's getting late."  
  
  
  
"It was very nice to meet you," Alicia said shaking Vernon's hand. She turned to Harry. "I'll be working as a teacher at the high school here. I'm starting at the beginning of September. Maybe I'll see you." Harry gulped.  
  
  
  
"Yea, maybe," he said trying to hide his nervousness. "I'm usually busy though. What are you going to be teaching?"  
  
  
  
Alicia thought for a moment as if surprised by the question. "I'll be teaching a new class. It's about self defense."  
  
  
  
"That's interesting," Harry remarked.  
  
  
  
"Well, we'd better go," Mark said as he took Alicia's hand. They left.  
  
  
  
"That was close," Harry remarked mainly to himself.  
  
  
  
"Go upstairs, boy!" Vernon yelled. Harry sighed. He knew the luxury of actually being let downstairs at any time wouldn't last. He turned around and headed right upstaris.  
  
  
  
"Hey Hedwig," he said as he entered his room. He quickly took out a pair of shorts and a T-shirt and changed into them. He took out his contacts before jumping into bed. He smiled, knowing that he was going to be out of the house tomorrow and on the way to the Burrow. He shut his eyes as sleep over took him.  
  
  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^DREAM^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
  
  
"Ready to practice today?" the same man asked. Harry found himself in another maze.  
  
  
  
"What are we going to be doing today?" Harry asked. He was no longer wearing the shorts and T-shirt. He was wearing a baggy long sleeve shirt and pants. He once again had arrows on his back and daggers at his waist.  
  
  
  
"We're going to work on your agility and your focus," the man said. Harry nodded. They got to work. Harry was working on moving away from spells being thrown at him by the man. He rolled out of the way to avoid Crucio. It went on for a while before they moved onto other things.  
  
  
  
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BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP  
  
  
  
Harry hit the alarm clock once again. He sat up in bed. He was out of breath once again after sleeping. It had been that way ever since school ended.  
  
  
  
"Why is this happening to me?" Harry asked aloud to no one. He quickly caught his breath as he thought about it until something flew by his head. Looking up in surprise, he saw that it was only Ron's owl, Pig. He untied a little bag off the owl's foot before it flew off again. It was a little bag of floo powder. Harry smiled as he remembered where he was going today. It was already eight o'clock. He quickly ran in the shower and changed quickly before walking downstairs.  
  
  
  
"Where were you this morning?" his uncle asked as he walked into the kitchen. "We had to make our own breakfast."  
  
  
  
"What a horror," Harry muttered quietly, gaining a few glares. He quickly grabbed an apple for himself and some food for Hedwig before running back upstairs. He gave Hedwig the food, which she ate as he ate his fruit.  
  
  
  
"I have to go to Ron's house today soon," he said to her. "If you want, leave after you eat that and I'll meet you there." Hedwig hooted in response. Right after she finished, she took to the sky as she flew out the open window. Harry watched her disappear before making sure he had everything. He then dragged his trunk down the stairs making as much noise as possible.  
  
  
  
"Boy! Get rid of that noise or you're not eating for a week!" his uncle yelled from the kitchen. They were still eating. Harry smiled as he made the trunk slam down the next few steps. "I'm not kidding!" his uncle yelled. "That's it! No food!"  
  
  
  
"I don't care," he called back. "I'm going over a friends house today in a few minutes."  
  
  
  
"No you're not!" his uncle said walking into the room.  
  
  
  
"But my godfather said I could," Harry said. Vernon glared at him.  
  
  
  
"No more do I believe this godfather business," he said. "The only one that seems crazy enough to believe it is you."  
  
  
  
"Crazy or not, I'm going over a friends house for the remainder of the summer. Just think of it as me getting out of the house," Harry said as he dragged his trunk over to the fireplace. He had the bag of floo powder in his hand. The fireplace was open and ready. He had gotten the permission from his headmaster to perform a simple spell to light a fire. He opened the trunk and pulled out his wand. Vernon took a step back when he saw it.  
  
  
  
"I'm going now," Harry said. He lit the fire before stepping in himself with his trunk. He clearly said, "The Burrow" before being taking away into the pathways of the floo network. Remembering to keep his elbows in, he kept hold of his trunk before finally he came to rest at a fireplace. He moved his feet just in time to steady himself and to keep from falling down. Getting over the dizziness, Harry looked around. No one was in the living room but he heard a voice coming from the kitchen. It sounded like Mrs. Weasley. Leaving his trunk off to the side, he walked around the wall to see Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen as she mixed a few things on the stove.  
  
  
  
"Hello Mrs. Weasley," he said making her jump. She turned in surprise. When she saw him she put a hand to her chest as if to slow her heart.  
  
  
  
"Harry, you scared me," she said before taking her hand away. She then quickly went up to him and hugged him. "It's so great to see you. I was so happy when Ron told me that you were coming over today. Hermione arrived this morning. I believe everyone is outside. I don't know what they're doing but as long as I don't have to yell at them for anything, I don't care. You can put your things in Ron's room and then join them."  
  
  
  
"Ok, thanks Mrs. Weasley," Harry said before walking back into the living room to grab his trunk. He carefully got it up the stairs and into Ron's room. Putting it off to the side, he ran back down the stairs and out the door. He saw Fred and George in the air with Bludger bats. Ron was in the air but off to the side. Hermione was on the ground looking up at them as she used a hand to shield her eyes. Ginny was next to her. She was yelling something up to Fred. Harry walked up to Hermione. She didn't notice.  
  
  
  
"What is she yelling about?" he asked her. She jumped a few feet in the air before turning around.  
  
  
  
"Harry! You scared me! I don't really know what they're yelling about. I haven't been able to follow really. So how was your summer so far?"  
  
  
  
"It was okay I guess," Harry replied. "But it's gotten a whole lot better today because I finally was able to come over here."  
  
  
  
"My summer's been pretty low key to," Hermione said. She turned back to look up at the sky.  
  
  
  
"Hey Harry!" Ron yelled from the sky. "You're finally here!"  
  
  
  
"Hey Harry!" the twins said.  
  
  
  
"Hey," Harry said back. "Why did I have the feeling that you were all up in the air?"  
  
  
  
"Seeker influence," Fred said.  
  
  
  
"Go get your broom, Harry!" George yelled.  
  
  
  
"I'll be right back," he said before running back inside to grab his Firebolt. He threw it over his shoulder before walking back out of the house and into the backyard. They played Quidditch most of the afternoon as Hermione and Ginny watched and talked. Around five, Mr. Weasley came home with Percy and they went inside for dinner. After eating, they played a few games before Mrs. Weasley made them all go to bed. She said that they were going to Diagon Alley in the morning.  
  
  
  
Harry sat in the bed made for him in Ron's room. Ron came in and laid down. "Night Harry," he said as he turned off the light.  
  
  
  
"Night, Ron," Harry said before he too laid down and tried to fall asleep. He finally fell asleep. It seemed like only a few hours later, Ron was shaking him awake.  
  
  
  
"Come on, Harry. We're leaving soon and we have to eat breakfast," he said. Harry sat up and again realized that he was out of breath. It was another one of those dreams. Ron left before he could take notice to Harry's breathing. Catching his breath. Harry quickly got dressed before heading down the stairs and into the kitchen. Mostly everyone was down there already except for Hermione and Ginny. They came down a few seconds after him. They sat down and Mrs. Weasley started to pile up Harry's plate like always. Harry only ate a few sausages and eggs before pushing it away.  
  
  
  
"Do you all have your lists?" Mrs. Weasley asked as everyone put on their robes. Harry checked his pocket. His list was there. They flooed there as soon as everyone was ready.  
  
  
  
"Ok, we're going to be in the Leaky Cauldron. Meet us there in two hours," Mr. Weasley said before he and Mrs. Weasley left. Fred and George went one way, Ginny went another way with some friends and Harry, Ron and Hermione went to get all of their school supplies. They met a few people along the way such as Neville. It only took them an hour to get the supplies before they headed into the robe shop. They each got the school robes as well as a new dress robe, which was required. They spent the rest of the time at the ice cream parlor watching everyone go by.  
  
  
  
"I can't believe that this is our sixth year," Hermione said taking a spoonful of her strawberry ice cream.  
  
  
  
"We'll be graduating next year," Ron pointed out.  
  
  
  
"It's sad to think about that though," Hermione said. "I mean, we're used to living in a castle with out friends constantly around us. At the end of our seventh year, we'll be living in other places and we won't see a few of our friends again."  
  
  
  
"Well, we won't miss everyone," Harry said thinking about the Slytherins.  
  
  
  
"We'll miss most of our friends," Hermione said. Everyone was quiet.  
  
  
  
"Ok, let's get out of this sad mood and make our way to your parents, Ron," Harry said before throwing out his garbage. They followed suit before heading to meet the Weasleys and get back to the Burrow.  
  
  
  
The rest of the summer was very peaceful for Harry. He played Quidditch a lot as well as a few games like chess. He was getting better but still needed Hermione's help at some points. The next thing Harry knew, it was the morning of September first and they were due at the train station in half an hour.  
  
  
  
"Make sure you have everything!" Mrs. Weasley said as everyone ran around trying to grab this and that before getting on the train. They made it to the station with a few minutes to spare. Fred and George had come along as well to see them of.  
  
"You be good this year!" she said. "I better not hear anything bad about you! Fred and George have now left so I look forward to getting no owls." She kissed them all. They said their good-byes before running onto the train. Ron, Hermione and Harry grabbed an empty compartment near the back of the train.  
  
  
  
"And another year starts," Hermione said as she sat down. The train started to move.  
  
  
  
"I know this might sound weird, but I hope we have a very boring year," Harry said. He definitely didn't want anything adventurous to happen. Not like his first four years. They were way too adventurous and deadly for him.  
  
  
  
"I know what you mean," Ron said. They talked about school for a while before ordering some food from the cart. When they were talking, someone walked in that surprised Harry. It was Alicia, the woman who came over the Dursley's for dinner. She was the new DADA teacher. That's why she said that she would see Harry during the school year. She was called Professor Karuso. She couldn't talk for long fore she had to run off to her own compartment, leaving just the three of them alone.  
  
  
  
They were having a peaceful conversation when someone had to bring in the dark clouds.  
  
  
  
"Well look who it is,' a voice sneered.  
  
  
  
"Oh Harry look, the devil brought us his twin. My, don't they look identical?" Ron asked.  
  
  
  
"I wouldn't be talking, Weasley!" Malfoy said back. "You three don't look that great yourselves, especially the mudblood here." Ron jumped out of his seat at the comment but Harry and Hermione held him down.  
  
  
  
Harry looked straight into Malfoy's eyes. "Don't make that comment again or I won't be here to save you. Gryffindors are brave and don't care about getting in trouble when they are doing something that they know is right. Maybe next time you won't be so lucky," Harry said coldly. Draco looked into his fierce green eyes before turning away and out.  
  
  
  
"Wow, how did you do that?" Hermione asked. He didn't look at her at first. He watched Malfoy leave but out of the corner of his eyes, Hermione could see how cold they were. She saw the power behind them. They were eyes that could make anyone do anything, especially back off of someone just like what Harry did. Now without his glasses, they were very hard to miss.  
  
  
  
"I really don't know, Hermione," Harry answered back before turning to her. The fierceness in his eyes were gone leaving his natural sparkle. They let go of Ron as he sat down himself.  
  
  
  
"He'd better have his goons with him all the time because if he makes that comment again, I don't know what I'm going to do," Ron said.  
  
  
  
"Just ignore him. It doesn't bother me that much," she lied.  
  
  
  
"I don't care," Ron said. "No one should be called that!" Harry desperately tried to change the subject by challenging them to a game of exploding snap. It got their minds off of what happened. They played until they felt a big jolt from the train.  
  
  
  
"What was that?" Harry asked.  
  
  
  
"I don't know. I'll go check," Hermione said and before they could stop her, she ran out of the compartment. Suddenly they heard her scream and then the lights went out making the train completely dark. Then everything went quiet.  
  
  
  
  
  
(Word count: 6,217 words. I really hope you like this! It's 19 pages on my computer!)  
  
  
  
  
  
Hello one and all to the first chapter of The Project. The wonderful, supreme queen, Noisey Jenn wrote this! Go check out her stories if you like what you are reading here. There are another 16 chapters left, and another 16 writers. I can guarantee thrills spills and more suspense then you can handle. Kateen will bring the next chapter to you in a week's time!  
  
AND REMEMBER IF YOU WANT TO BE PART OF THIS REVIEW!!!  
  
  
  
Oh the disclaimer! I almost forgot! We own nothing, well the ideas for this are from Noisy Jenn, but someone else owns the rest. Shame. 


	2. The Darkness

Disclaimer: None of us, the authors of The Project, own Harry Potter. But we all wish we did, and then we could own it and actually get paid for our creations.  
  
This chapter's author: Orion  
  
That said, on with the fic.  
Chapter Two: Darkness  
  
Harry ran out of the compartment as soon as he heard Hermione scream, leaving Ron alone in the dark.  
  
Ron did not follow his friends out right away. He knew that something was wrong, terribly wrong. After the scream, there was no sound. Not even the normal sounds of a train. It was unnatural for a train to be completely silent, especially since it was slowing down. Slowing down, another sign that something was wrong. The Hogwarts Express never slowed down until just a few minutes before arriving at Hogsmeade Station. Ron knew that there was no way that they were that close. No, something was defiantly wrong.  
  
Ron was just standing up to, like Harry, see why Hermione screamed, when the train suddenly stopped. Ron was thrown across the compartment. As he hit the wall, he realized that a train suddenly stopping makes a good deal of noise, but didn't; neither did he hear the crack of his shoulder breaking as it hit the wall. Magic. His last thought before loosing consciousness was that it was because of magic.  
The sun was high in the sky when Ron awoke. He had to shield his eyes from the sun. Only then did it come to him. He was outside. What happened? Why wasn't he on the train, or maybe in the hospital wing at Hogwarts?  
  
"So you finally woke up."  
  
Ron tried turning his head to see who had said that, but couldn't. It hurt too much.  
  
"Don't try to move, we immobilized you so that we could examine you without worrying about you waking and doing something that might hurt yourself. What is your name? Do you know what happened?"  
  
"Ron Weasley, I . . . "  
  
Ron had to think for a moment. He was so confused. For some reason, he just couldn't remember. Then he remembered his last thought before waking. Magic. His parents had taught him that if you could remember anything that was blocked by a memory charm, you could destroy it and remember it all, with a little work.  
  
He concentrated on his last though, Magic. What about Magic? Darkness. Soundlessness. What should he have seen? His friends and the inside of the compartment. What should he have heard? The sound of a train suddenly stopping. The sound of his shoulder breaking. Was there anything that he did see or hear? Hermione's scream!  
  
Suddenly, all his memories came back to him.  
  
"What happened?" The voice asked. "You looked like you were concentrating pretty hard."  
  
Ron still wondered who this person was. She seemed to be truly concerned. He decided to trust her.  
  
"I had to break a poorly placed memory charm."  
  
"Always good to see an underage wizard who has proper skills such as that. Do you now remember what happened?"  
  
Ron took a breath, coughed in pain, took another breath, and began.  
  
"First the lights went out. Hermione left the compartment to see what happened. She had been out of the compartment for only a moment when we heard a scream. It was her who screamed. Harry went out after her, but as I was about to follow I realized that it was too quiet. It was then that I figured out that magic was causing the lack of sound. I stood up and was thrown against the wall when the train suddenly stopped. What happened since then?"  
  
Finally the woman came into view. Ron knew immediately that she was ministry. She was probably from the transportation department, as they would be involved if the train didn't arrive in Hogsmead on time.  
  
"And who would Hermione and Harry be?"  
  
Ron was getting a little nervous now. What wasn't she telling him?  
  
"My best friends, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. Do you know what happened?"  
  
The woman looked like she was going to avoid answering again, but he gave her a look that said he would not play games. Finally, she sighed and told him.  
  
"We were hopping that you could tell us. You are the first of the survivors to wake."  
  
"Survivors?"  
  
"Yes, you all were very lucky. The train completely de-railed. Only three people died. Not to make light of their deaths, of course, but most of you were very lucky. We just put you all under so that we could check all of you for injuries."  
  
Ron was panicking now. What if Hermione had been one of those who had died? Or Ginny? Or Harry?  
  
"Virginia - Ginny - Weasley, Harry Potter, and Hermione Granger; my sister and best friends. Can you tell me if they are ok?"  
  
Ron was even more nervous when the ministry official left his sight for a few minutes. Finally, she returned, with a look on her face that told him that she did not come with good news.  
  
"Well, none of them were those who died. However," she paused, "there are several people that are not accounted for. All three of them are among this group."  
  
Ron promptly lost consciousness again.  
** Three Days Later **  
Ron sat in the same window that Harry had so many times, now understanding why his friend did it. It was the perfect place to think. From it one could see the forest, the quiditch pitch, the lake, and on a clear day one could see Hogsmead. Ron had never been much of a thinker. He was much more an action person. But there was nothing to do about this, so all he was left with was thinking.  
  
And that was almost all he had done since the accident. He knew that the memory charm that he had broken was still holding on to something; almost like him forgetting the other things was an unintended side effect. Maybe if he remembered, he could act. Or at least have another thing to think about. Thinking about the possible future of thinking about something. That was what Ron was reduced to.  
  
Of course, it wasn't the only thing that there was to think about. There was the fact that his roommate Neville Longbottom was one of the three who died. Another of the three dead children was a to be first year. Miriam Callahan, if he remembered the one time he had heard her name. The third was, in some ways, more shocking than the others. Draco Malfoy was the third victim.  
  
Everyone had always assumed him to be his father's son, a loyal death eater. Or for those who didn't believe in Voldermort's return, he was a rich sadistic snob, who would be a death eater if they still existed.  
  
And then there were those who had disappeared. Fifteen students and two teachers disappeared that day. Four of them were Gryfindor students, all fourth year or above. They were: Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and John (a sixth year). Four Ravenclaw students disappeared as well. Cho Chang was the only one that he had even heard of before. From Hufflepuf, five students disappeared. Ron knew none of them. Two Slytherin students disappeared, Crabbe and Goyle. The two teachers who disappeared were Professor Alicia Karuso, the new DADA teacher, and Mr. Jonas Huntington, who was going to be the temporary Potions teacher until Snape's return.  
  
He also knew that he wasn't the only one thinking of them. Every person seemed to have his own idea of where they were. He was keeping a sort of journal to keep track of his thoughts, and those that he heard of others.  
  
"What else could it be? The Dark Lord has them. He is torturing them right now. Their screams are echoing down dark corridors, heard only by those that enjoy hearing people scream. Harry is being made to watch while He Who Shall Not Be Named, or his death eaters, torture, rape, and murder the others." -Royce Jones, Hufflepuf  
  
"We are all idiots for believing one word that comes out of Dumbledore's mouth. You Know Who has not returned. He did not kill Miriam, Neville, or Draco. He did not kidnap any students or teachers. It was all Sirius Black. It must be. He is the new Dark Lord." -Amanda Wormwood, Ravenclaw  
  
"They are off training to be war mages." -Mark Hunter, Hufflepuf  
  
"They were all part of a secret group. They had to be. They must have made it seem they had been captured. They will bring down You Know Who. They have to!" (Spoken between crying fits.) -Rupert Longbottom (Neville's Cousin) First Year Gryfindor  
  
"Abducted by aliens who are performing experiments on them. Each of the women will come back pregnant with a human alien hybrid child. All the guys will have their eyes and balls cut out." -Anonymous (dirty minded muggle born) first year  
  
"Harry Potter is the new Dark Lord. He killed Cedric last year and killed Neville, Miriam, and Draco this year. It won't be long before he strikes again." -Slytherin first year  
  
"All dead. All dead. They-ey are all dead!" -Peeve's chant  
  
Ron himself wasn't sure of what he thought. He certainly knew that Harry wasn't the new Dark Lord, and neither was Sirius. He seriously doubted that aliens had abducted them. And he really hoped that they weren't being tortured, raped, or murdered. He hoped that they weren't dead.  
  
His mother's words filtered into his mind. The summer before his third year was when his father and mother started teaching him extra magic. As the words played again and again in his mind, he slowly began to concentrate.  
  
"Concentrate. You should be able to feel those that you are bonded to. Simple bonds like those between family members, friendship bonds, and love bonds, life debt bonds, all of them. You can feel those you are bonded too. Just concentrate on them. If you feel nothing, after days and days of trying, there is either no bond or they are dead. If you feel them and suddenly stop feeling them, they are dead. If it is faint, they are unconscious, and not just sleeping. If you do this enough, you may feel more than just their lives. You may feel their emotions. Ultimately, you may even be able to communicate with them."  
  
Ron looked up suddenly. He knew they were alive. His sister and his best friends at least. They were alive. But not only that, they were close too.  
  
* * Next morning * *  
  
He barely felt it when the school shook. No, instead he was concentrating on the figures that had just busted the doors of the great hall so open so fast that they caused the shake. They had ripped, torn clothing. All of them looked like they had walked through hell itself, but had somehow made it back. They all were leaning against each other for support. All accept two, who everyone noticed were bound with both magic and rope.  
  
Ron understood first. Harry, Hermione, Ginny, and the others were back, and with them were prisoners. Lucius Malfoy . . . and Wormtail.  
  
~*~ Author's notes!  
  
Ok, that's it for this chapter. Be sure to review. Also read fics by Orion, and all the other authors of 'Gods and Goddesses'  
  
Also, I have fics up for adoption, as well as 'short shots' that would make good full-length stories if only someone would adopt them.  
  
Please review.  
  
.............................  
  
Note from Coconut-ice  
  
Thanks Orion! This is a fantastic second chapter. I must point out to all that he has saved the day, after the person who was supposed to write the second chapter disappeared he stepped in. So you are my new favorite person. I hope you all enjoyed this as much as I have. It's been a joy to work with you Brian. The 3rd chapter is on its way written by Trinity. So look out and please review! 


	3. Gone

Ron stood in shock, he was wrong, Lucius and Wormtail dragged their prisoners violently along the floor. Harry, being at the front of the 'queue', looked up at Ron, and in that brief moment, when Ron looked into Harry's eyes, he saw the pain and anguish of the past days.  
  
He saw the way Lucius and Wormtail had tortured the group, individually, occasionally locking the group in a room with no food or water, starving them, making them wish they were dead. He felt the pain that Harry had felt those past few days, he felt the need and want to get free of the terrible prison of which was brought onto them. But most of all, even when Harry's head was viciously turned to face Lucious, he felt the power and desire to set the group free.  
  
Professor McGonagall stopped Lucius at the entrance to the Great Hall, and said:  
  
"Where do you think you are taking my students?"  
  
Lucius simply smirked, and spoke with the most sarcastic tone any of the students or teachers had ever heard:  
  
"Would you mind letting me past you to speak with Professor Dumbledore, as I request some of his time."  
  
Professor McGonagall merely nodded, turned her back on Lucious, and made her way back to the staff table, which was not needed, as Dumbledore had already risen. When McGonagall's back was turned to them, Wormtail muttered:  
  
"Stupid Scottish wench!"  
  
Dumbledore's eyes, Ron noticed, had lost their friendly shine, as he stepped towards Lucious and asked:  
  
"What is it you want Lucius? Why the need to kidnap 15 of my students, and 2 members of my staff? Why these particular people?"  
  
He took a step forward with every question, yet stopped when Lucius spoke, in a bitter and twisted way:  
  
"No further old man. If anyone in this room takes so much as one step towards Wormtail, this group of 'fine' young students and teachers or I, then we will bring the roof down on the heads of all of you."  
  
As the room quietened, Lucius answered the questions that Dumbledore asked, the questions that everyone wanted the answers to:  
  
"You ask me what I want. The answer is you, Albus Dumbledore. The Dark Lord has requested you to join him in conference with him. These people were kidnapped as a warning, as all of them in some way, has been linked to the Dark Lord, the most obvious being Harry here," he stated, pushing Harry to the floor, "but you all knew that of course! Now, if you please, the Dark Lord would like you to accompany me to his chambers. And if you decide not to co-operate, then these 17 people will all suffer incredible torment and torture, until they die, brought on especially by the Dark Lord himself."  
  
Dumbledore, it seemed, was expecting this speech from Lucious Malfoy at one time or another, yet still managed to use the situation to his advantage.  
  
"Your son is dead Mr Malfoy, and it was all due to your Death Eaters and the raid they committed on the Hogwarts Express. I will come with you, but consider, perhaps even for just a moment, exactly what it was you were trying to accomplish by the raid on that train. Was it the death of the son you loved so dearly, the son who was so willing to follow in his father's footsteps? I ask you Mr Malfoy, do you enjoy inflicting pain and suffering, and in this instance, death on those few people that you regard as close and loving to you?"  
  
And with that, Albus Dumbledore walked towards the captors of those 17 people, muttered a freeing spell, and stood, anticipating the moment where he was to approach Voldemort, knowing that his own life was to be taken, for the safe return of the captive students and teachers  
  
Lucious muttered a spell, and suddenly, the three were gone, replaced instead by the Dark Mark in bottle green smoke.  
  
The whole school was in shock, with the situation that had unfolded in front of their eyes. Even though they disliked the bullies Crabbe and Goyle, they were glad that they were back. Ron ran to Ginny, and helped her into a chair at the Gryffindor table, while Seamus and Dean helped Harry and Hermione.  
  
The staff forced the students to go to their common rooms, telling them that lessons would be cancelled for that day. The students left the Hall, all except the captured ones, who needed to eat, and Ron, who refused to go without his sister and the best friends who he had missed for the previous days. He loved them all too much to let them go again.  
  
***  
  
Life was gradually beginning to return to the way it was in Hogwarts, before those people were captured. Dumbledore was still absent from his place at the staff table, and many doubted his return, as they knew that Dumbledore would give his own life for the safety of the students and the staff at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry was angry that Dumbledore had left the school without any resistance. He was angry with Voldemort for this pre-emptive strike that he had committed. Harry was also considering using the powers that were being taught to him in his dreams to finally conquer Voldemort, finally setting the world free of the Dark Menace that had tormented them so willingly, and that had made the world suffer under his dark reign.  
  
Ron and Hermione were being very supportive towards Harry, as even though Hermione had succumbed to the same torture, she felt that Harry needed her support, and her sympathy, more than she needed it herself.  
  
Whilst the trio were sat in the Gryffindor common room, about 2 weeks after Dumbledore's departure, they began to talk about the topic they had diverged in since the kidnapping, whether or not Dumbledore would be able to banish Voldemort, and his faithful lapdogs (they called themselves Death eaters). The trio had decided that Dumbledore's will was too strong for Voldemort to corrupt, giving Dumbledore a strength that Voldemort didn't have. After all, Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of.  
  
The next week was a blur for Harry and Hermione, as well as the other torture victims, as their optimism for Dumbledore's succession was finally beginning to falter. Harry and Hermione tended to stay up in the common room talking long after everyone else had gone to bed. Some nights, they didn't talk, and Harry just held Hermione, as she cried, wishing everyone were safe, wishing that Neville was still alive, as he was a good friend to her.  
  
When Hermione cried to him, Harry just wanted to protect her; to save her from the oncoming danger, which was so imminent, and to save the world as well, everyone else needed him. If Dumbledore didn't succeed in defeating the Dark Lord, then Harry knew the only way for the situation to be resolved.  
  
He had to sacrifice himself. He had to give his life for the defeat of Voldemort.  
  
...................................  
  
Another note from Coconut-ice:  
  
I know this took a very very long time, but you can't tell me it wasn't worth it! Have you read the last chapter? DO you know how hard it was for poor old Trinity? Not only did she have exams, but she had me breathing down her neck. She had finished ages ago, but my stupid computer decided to blow up, and was in the shop being repaired for 3 weeks. Oh well to cut a long story short it's here now ok. Shades Of Grey should be doing the next chapter I hope.  
  
I would like to thank the beta readers the delightful Trinity and anyone else who has helped.  
  
Oh PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE REVIEW!!!!! If you do you get a cookie, if you don't you get a virus! Just kidding, or am I...  
  
Disclaimer: I own jack all, Trinity owns a wittle bit and any thing else belongs to the rich corporations. Happy? Good. 


	4. Life's Like This

The Project:  
Chapter 4  
  
*Third Person POV*  
  
Life was gradually beginning to return to the way it was in Hogwarts, before those people were captured. Dumbledore was still absent from his place at the staff table, and many doubted his return, as they knew that Dumbledore would give his own life for the safety of the students and the staff at Hogwarts.  
  
Harry was angry that Dumbledore had left the school without any resistance. He was angry with Voldemort for this pre-emptive strike that he had committed.  
  
Ron and Hermione were being very supportive towards Harry, as even though Hermione had succumbed to the same torture, she felt that Harry needed her support, and her sympathy, more than she needed it herself.  
  
Whilst the trio were sat in the Gryffindor common room, about 2 weeks after Dumbledore's departure, they began to talk about the topic they had divulged in since the kidnapping, whether or not Dumbledore would be able to banish Voldemort, and his faithful lapdogs (they called themselves Death Eaters).  
  
The trio had decided that Dumbledore's will was too strong for Voldemort to corrupt, giving Dumbledore a strength that Voldemort didn't have. After all, Dumbledore was the only wizard Voldemort was afraid of.  
  
The next week was a blur for Harry and Hermione, as well as the other torture victims, as their optimism for Dumbledore's succession was finally beginning to falter. Harry and Hermione tended to stay up in the common room talking long after everyone else had gone to bed. Some nights, they didn't talk, and Harry just held Hermione, as she cried, wishing everyone were safe, wishing that Neville was still alive, as he was a good friend to her.  
  
When Hermione cried to him, Harry just wanted to protect her; to save her from the oncoming danger, which was so imminent, and to save the world as well, everyone else needed him. If Dumbledore didn't succeed in defeating the Dark Lord, then Harry knew the only way for the situation to be resolved.  
  
He had to sacrifice himself. He had to give his life for the defeat of Voldemort.  
  
* * *  
  
"Why don't you just give up, you old fool?" the man hissed. "You can only prolong your suffering by refusing me!"  
  
The other man seemed to be much older. Sitting in a chair with his arms and legs strapped down, he was wearing tattered blue robes. He had been beaten, and was bloody and obviously in great pain, yet in his eyes there still seemed to be some inner fire burning brightly despite his condition.  
  
"Why do you do this, Tom?" he asked in a hoarse and sorrowful voice. "Even after all these years I still don't understand what happened to you."  
  
Voldemort sneered at the use of his old name.  
  
"I have told you before that you are not to call me that, old man." He reached slowly into his pocket and pulled out his wand. "Do you still think you can save your precious school by refusing to transfer its wards to me? You must realise by now that it is hopeless. Crucio!"  
  
* * *  
  
*Harry's POV*  
  
Harry shot up, barely stifling a scream of pain as his scar seemed to burn into his head. It was about as painful as the Cruciatus Curse - which meant, unfortunately, that after his time as a prisoner of Voldemort, Harry was almost used to it.  
  
It had been so long since he'd had a dream from his scar. In fact, Harry couldn't remember having had any dreams at all since the beginning of the summer. Even when he had finally returned to Hogwarts after his capture he had never had a dream, even of his imprisonment. Every other student, even the Slytherins and the professors who had been taken, readily admitted that they had nightmares about their time in the Death Eater base, yet Harry never had any that he could remember. He just always woke up feeling like he'd run a marathon, as he had been doing since the summer, although it seemed to have gotten worse since his capture and subsequent return.  
  
It had taken a while for his roommates to notice it, but they simply assumed that his heavy breathing in the mornings was due to some nightmare. After all, he was The-Boy-Who-Lived; there was no doubt at all that he had experienced enough terror in his life to provide enough nightmares for the entire population of Hogwarts.  
  
Ron seemed more concerned about it than necessary, but Harry had come to expect such things from Ron who always acted from his heart. Harry only wished he were as open and loyal as Ron had again and again proven himself to be.  
  
Harry felt some small measure of relief as he remembered his dream.  
  
he thought,   
  
Harry frowned.  
  
Harry decided that he would have to talk to Professor McGonagall about it in the morning; he had too much on his mind already. After all, she was acting as Headmistress now, although she made sure to point out that she was only Headmistress temporarily, until Dumbledore returned. at least that was what she said in front of the students. Harry had a suspicion that she was actually just feeling quite daunted by the thought of trying to take the place of someone like Albus Dumbledore, even for a short while.  
  
He looked to the clock on the wall.  
  
"Time to go back to sleep." It read.  
  
Harry rolled his eyes; there was no way that he was going to be able to sleep again tonight. Even if Harry hadn't had any nightmares about his ordeal, it still weighed heavily on his mind.  
  
The magical torture had been terrible, of course (Voldemort had refused to use any type of physical torture as he said it was too muggleish), but Harry had been surprised to find that the longer he endured it, the more he could stand it. He hadn't been able to keep from screaming of course, but after a while he had learned to accept the pain instead of trying to ignore it. After he had accepted the pain, it didn't exactly lessen at all, it just became somehow less unbearable.  
  
Of course this only meant that it took two death eaters casting the Cruciatus Curse to make him scream rather than one, and, unfortunately, Voldemort knew what he was doing when it came to causing pain.  
  
No matter how many times Harry thought about his imprisonment though, it was never the pain he suffered that he remembered. No, it was the faces of his professors, the other students and his friends that he remembered.  
  
Voldemort had forced Harry to watch, powerless to help, as the others were tortured in front of him. It had been horrible beyond imagining to see people he knew suffering, like Cho Chang and Professor Karuso, and the other Hogwarts students. Some of them had screamed for help, for Harry to do something. Harry thought his heart would break as he watched Ginny, screaming in agony, begging for Harry to help her, asking him why he wasn't making it stop.  
  
"Why won't you make it stop hurting?!" She'd wailed.  
  
The worst though, had been Hermione, and not just because she was closest to Harry, but also because she had tried not to scream at first, trying to spare Harry the pain of seeing how much she was hurt. She couldn't hold out against the Cruciatus Curse cast by Voldemort himself though.  
  
She never begged for Harry to help her though, sparing him at least that much pain, but her face, twisted in torment, was burnt into Harry's mind. He saw it every time he closed his eyes and he knew he would continue to see it there until he paid Voldemort back somehow, or defeated him.  
  
Every time Harry thought about what Voldemort had done to his friends- no, his family, he burned with a desire to do something. anything to work towards Voldemort's defeat.  
  
Harry sighed and unclenched his fists. He got up and threw a robe over his nightclothes. Oddly enough there was a breeze in the dorm, making the curtains flap and ruffling his clothes, and Harry could have sworn the air was still just a moment ago.  
  
Shaking his head Harry grabbed some parchment from under his bed and snuck silently down to the common room, not wanting to wake his friends.  
  
Harry sat down in his window, which was in the darkest corner of the common room and spread the roll of parchment out on his knees.  
  
It was the beginnings of a map of Voldemort's base, where Harry and the others had been held. Harry had been working on it ever since he'd returned, trying to remember everything he could about the layout. He wasn't sure what he was going to do with it, but he knew that the more he could remember about anything pertaining to Voldemort the better he could fight him, should the chance arise.  
  
He hadn't shown it to anyone, of course. He would have liked to ask everyone that had been captured with him what they could remember, but anytime he thought about it he remembered holding Hermione as she cried each night. What made it so terrible was that she didn't cry for her own suffering, but for the suffering of others and the loss of the first year student Miriam Callahan, and Neville, and even for Draco Malfoy.  
  
Harry only wished he could be as caring and loving as her. Harry would do anything to keep her from crying and reliving the pain, or Ginny, or anyone else for that matter so he never asked them for help.  
  
He didn't show Ron either, because his hot-tempered friend, who had already proven himself to be a bit overprotective of Ginny, had become almost scary.  
  
He constantly worried about his friends' and sister's safety and about how the ordeal must have traumatized them. Harry thought that if Ron found the map he would instantly jump to the conclusion that Harry was planning to go after Voldemort on his own. Which he wasn't. That would be foolish. Of course he wouldn't go looking for a fight with Voldemort. Really!  
  
Fortunately though, Ron seemed to think that Harry didn't need him to worry about him quite as much as Ginny and Hermione did. After all, he was Harry Potter; facing torture and possible death at the hands of the 'Dark Master' seemed to be becoming a normal yearly occurrence for him.  
  
Harry sighed and looked back to the parchment. He looked carefully over everything he had drawn so far, trying to see if there was anything he had missed or overlooked. He seemed to remember some new detail to add in each time he worked on the map. Remembering that there had been a door at this location, a window somewhere else.  
  
Obviously Harry had only seen a few parts of the base as he was taken from one cell to another, but he'd seen more of the place when Pettigrew and Malfoy (senior) had taken him and the others out of the base in order to port key to Hogwarts.  
  
Now that he thought of it, Harry realized that there must have been some kind of spell over the place to prevent apparition and port keying, otherwise they could have just gathered the prisoners inside the fortress instead of leading them outside to use the port key (it had been a pendant that looked like the dark mark and touching it had hurt the prisoners nearly as much as the Cruciatus curse, but hadn't seemed to harm Lucius and Pettigrew).  
  
Harry turned the map over and made a note about his suspicion. He was using the back of the map to write down anything he remembered that didn't go on the map, such as any names he heard, or anything a death eater said that Harry thought might be important.  
  
Harry's adventures at Hogwarts so far had taught him more than he realized about fighting enemies and about how to survive against the odds, and surviving meant knowing as much as possible about your enemy. But he'd had Ron and Hermione at his side, helping him at every turn before and now he was beginning to realise just how much he depended on them.  
  
Sure, he'd faced a lot of stuff by himself, like Quirrel and the Basilisk and even Voldemort himself, but he knew that it was thanks to his friends that he'd made it far enough to do so. Now he realised that, despite how much he might want them with him, and how much he valued their simple presence, being his friend had cost Ron much anxiety, and had cost his 'Mione untold pain.  
  
Harry shook his head and focussed back on the paper in front of him. He would not allow anyone else to come to harm again simply because they were associated with him.  
  
Harry was so intent on trying to remember as much as he could that he didn't notice the sounds of someone getting out of bed.  
  
Only when Hermione stepped off the last stair and into the common room did Harry become aware of her presence, and by then it was too late to hide his map without being completely obvious about it.  
  
* * *  
  
*Hermione's POV*  
  
Not for the first time, Hermione found herself woken in the middle of the night by dreams of torture and dead friends.  
  
She let out a shuddering sigh.  
  
She asked herself.   
  
She thought about how Harry was always there for her no matter what he was going through at the time himself.  
  
Actually, come to think of it, he was always there for anyone that needed him. Saving her from the troll in first year, saving Ginny from the memory of Tom Riddle in second year, he even helped those he despised like Pettigrew in third year, saving him from Sirius and Professor Lupin. In fourth year he had risked his life in order to bring Cedric's body back. Most recently Hermione remembered him talking to everyone who had been taken hostage with him.  
  
Somehow they always seemed just a little bit less scared after Harry talked with them, even the Slytherins.  
  
Hermione only wished she could be as caring and loving as him. Hermione didn't think she could have talked to the Slytherins with such patience and empathy like Harry did. To many of them had been the cause of so much pain, both hers and others'.  
  
Hermione looked at the magical alarm clock she had bought in Hogsmead last year (what other kind of alarm clock would she buy in a completely magical town?), after numerous complaints from the other girls that she always set the dorm's alarm clock to wake them far too early. It had a special alarm that would wake the owner and only the owner.  
  
"Time to go back to bed." It said.  
  
Hermione rolled her eyes. There was no way she would be getting back to sleep tonight. Her head was still reeling from her most recent nightmare. She decided to take her ancient runes homework and head down to the common room to work on it before she got caught up in her memories of. of what had happened.  
  
The memory of Harry struggling against his bonds, trying desperately to reach her would be forever in her mind. Once or twice during her ordeal Hermione could have sworn that she saw sparks and threads of electricity or lightning flashing across Harry's skin and in his hair and eyes as he pulled at his restraints and screamed in rage, but she figured it must have just been the effects of the curses used on her.  
  
Not wanting to wake her roommates, she tiptoed out of the room and down the stairs.  
  
Sitting as he was in 'his' window, Hermione could only see Harry's silhouette against the stars and moonlight, but she recognized him easily, scribbling away on a parchment. and besides - no one else would sit there. Pretty much every Gryffindor had unofficially decided that the seat was Harry's and only Harry's. She stopped for a moment on the stairs, just watching him.  
  
She wondered, not for the first time.   
  
Yet as ridiculous as everyone's expectations of Harry might have been, Hermione couldn't deny the fact that he had lived up to them all so far; surpassed them in fact. All along, for as long as Hermione had known him, Harry had wanted nothing more than to be something she and Ron agreed he would never be. A normal average boy, with normal average problems.  
  
Ron and Hermione had discussed it before during the summer and had come to the conclusion that there had always been something different about Harry, and it had really started to grow stronger, especially since the summer after fourth year.  
  
The difference wasn't really something magical, or at least it wasn't just magical. It was like there was a certain feeling about Harry's words and actions, as if nothing could stop them.  
  
The twins had happened upon Ron and Hermione when they were talking about it and Hermione thought that they had put it best when they'd said:  
  
"It's power. When you talk to Harry, or watch him, you can just sense a sort of power."  
  
"You mean like Dumbledore?" Hermione had asked, confused about what they meant.  
  
"Kind of," Fred replied, seeming confused himself.  
  
"It's like magic, but - . " George had went on.  
  
"It's like something else as well. More like."  
  
"Everything." All four of them had supplied after a moment's pause.  
  
The twins had smirked at that.  
  
" Exactly. It's as though, no matter what sort of problem he faces," George explained.  
  
"Whether magical or muggle," Fred continued.  
  
"He'll set it right."  
  
"No matter how bad it seems,"  
  
"You can count on him to know what the right thing to do is,"  
  
"Even if it's completely crazy,"  
  
"And you can bet that he'll do whatever it takes to accomplish it."  
  
It had been rather odd to hear the twins speaking so seriously.  
  
Hermione mentally gave herself a shake, bringing her out of her memories and back to reality and realized that she'd been standing on the last step of the stairs for quite some time staring at the outline of one of her two best friends.  
  
Actually she'd found herself doing that quite frequently in recent days. She'd stare at Harry or Ron, wondering just how she could possibly go on if one of them was ever taken from her, until someone, or something, snapped her out of it.  
  
Most often she would stare at Harry; because he's the one Voldemort is after, she thought to herself, so it's more likely that he would be the one to be taken from me. That's why I think about losing Harry more than I think about losing Ron.  
  
Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she decided to go see what Harry was working on. She knew that he was finished all of the homework that he had for now so it must be something for himself.  
  
* * *  
  
*Third Person POV*  
  
Actually, all of the people who had been kidnapped, Hermione included, seemed to be throwing themselves into their work in an effort to suppress the memories of their experiences. As a result they were finished their work before anyone else, or in Hermione's case she did even better work than before, which was really saying something (despite having missed the beginning of the school year her average was now %143).  
  
The moment that her foot touched the common room floor Harry jerked around and stared at her looking surprised and, oddly enough, nervous.  
  
"W-what are you doing up at this time, Mione?" he asked.  
  
Hermione smiled a little sheepishly.  
  
"Nightmares." She whispered as she walked over to where he was sitting and sat beside him. "Couldn't go back to sleep. What're you working on? I thought you were finished all the assigned work...."  
  
Hermione trailed off.  
  
"Harry, is that what it looks like?" she asked.  
  
Harry thought with a sigh,   
  
"I'm making a map of Voldemort's base from what I can remember of it." He admitted. "I didn't tell you about it because I didn't want it to bring up bad memories. Ron doesn't know either because - well, you've seen how paranoid and overprotective he's become."  
  
Hermione frowned and looked a little hurt.  
  
Harry looked down, he suddenly found that his hands were absolutely fascinating.  
  
"I'm sorry, Hermione, I just didn't want to cause you any pain." He apologized. "I'd do anything to keep you from being hurt."  
  
Hermione waited until Harry looked back up into her eyes.  
  
"Harry, I understand why you wanted to hide it and I appreciate it, but you've got to realize something. Me and Ron - we care about you, a lot of people do." She said then looked down herself. "Yes, thinking about what happened isn't fun, but even just thinking that you might go off on your own to. to do whatever and that you might not come back - it's a thousand times worse."  
  
"I wasn't going to actually go looking for him." Harry mumbled looking back down.  
  
Hermione smiled.  
  
"I know you weren't," she said. "but I still worry. After all, what are friends for? Now, let me see that map. I might remember something you don't, and two heads are better than one anyway, right?"  
  
Harry looked at Hermione and smiled, amazed that she could go from being concerned for his safety to being logical and efficient so quickly. This was the Hermione he and Ron knew and loved so much, this was his 'Mione that had been gone since the Hogwarts Express was attacked.  
  
He nodded and handed over his map.  
  
Hermione and Harry stayed up most of the night working on the map. Everything that Hermione was able to remember seemed to remind Harry of another thing he'd missed, and vice versa. At some point Hermione made Harry promise to show Ron the map in the morning. Harry agreed only on the condition that Hermione agreed to try and hold Ron back from pulverizing Harry for keeping it a secret from him. After all, Ron was famous for his temper.  
  
Sitting in such close quarters to one of his best friends, Harry found that he was able to relax, at least a little, and was able to stop blaming himself for all of the pain that he hadn't been able to stop. After all, his 'Mione said that it wasn't at all, his fault, and his 'Mione was never wrong.  
  
The two fell asleep in the window seat with Harry leaning against the window and Hermione leaning against Harry. Neither of them had any dreams at all that night.  
  
* * *  
  
*Harry's POV*  
  
For the first time in months, Harry woke up feeling refreshed and, more surprisingly, content. He hadn't felt this good since the day he'd found out that he was a wizard and would be leaving Privet Drive for the majority of the year and he didn't want to let the feeling go so he decided to rollover and go back to sleep. except he found that he couldn't. There seemed to be something pinning him to his bed - but. he wasn't in his bed.  
  
Confused, his sleep-dulled mind was forced to begin to wake up. At the same time whatever was pinning him down shifted and started to move.  
  
*Ron's POV*  
  
Ever since Ginny, Harry and Herm had come back to him, Ron was loath to so much as let them out of his sight for more than a moment. The last time he had done so they'd been taken away and he hadn't been able to do a thing to help them. If there was a worse feeling for a Gryffindor than being powerless to help loved ones, Ron had yet to encounter it.  
  
If it had been allowed, Ron would have started sleeping in the Girls' dorm just so he would be closer to both Ginny and Hermione. Not that he didn't think (on some unconscious level) that Harry needed him, it was just that Harry was different from Ginny and Hermione.  
  
Aside from the fact that Ginny and Hermione were girls, and as such needed more protection (hey, Ron grew up in a house full of guys, he was bound to get some things mixed up!), Harry was also more powerful than them. At least he was magically.  
  
Coming from an almost purely magical family Ron had some idea of magical ability, much like muggles could tell who was stronger by judging whose muscles were bigger; although, like muggles' muscles, what was readily "visible" could be deceiving. That is, someone with small but tough muscles could actually be stronger than someone with bigger, but softer muscles.  
  
When Ron woke up that morning he noticed that Harry wasn't in his bed, which was unusual for Harry recently. Each morning Ron had to wake Harry up, and usually had a hard time of it.  
  
Ron decided and started getting dressed.  
  
Just as Ron was walking down the stairs to see if Harry was in the common room there was a loud thump.  
  
Ron wondered with a frown.  
  
Upon reaching the common room Ron looked around for his friend and spotted a foot sticking out from behind the couch near 'Harry's window'.  
  
"Harry?" Ron asked, walking around the couch. "What are you doing down there-"  
  
Ron stared at the scene before him for only a moment before bursting out in laughter.  
  
Harry and Hermione were on the floor in a tangle of limbs looking quite surprised to find themselves there.  
  
For a moment they looked at each other in shock, then at Ron, which made him laugh all the harder. Harry started to chuckle first, then Hermione began to join him and soon all three of them were laughing so hard that they were in danger of suffocating.  
  
Soon the laughter became too much for Ron and he was forced to lean against the wall, sliding down it until he was rolling on the floor with his friends.  
  
It wasn't really that funny, but there had been too much tension and worry in them and it was all being released.  
  
*Third Person POV*  
  
The laughter of the trio was so loud that it woke many of the other Gryffindors and a few came down to complain to whomever had woken them.  
  
Upon seeing who it was that was laughing so loudly and carefree the other students could only stand in shock.  
  
There, on the common room floor, were Ron, Harry and Hermione. The Trio. The Dream Team. The three closest people in the school, as close as even the twins.  
  
The Trio was known by everyone at the school, and when two thirds of the Trio had been taken the school had felt bigger to everyone, emptier. Dumbledore's departure had been terrible, but it was tempered somewhat by the reunion of the Trio.  
  
Ever since Harry and Hermione had come back though, the Trio hadn't seemed to be its usually apparently indomitable self. Hermione had been understandably sad and depressed, Ron had become more protective and worried than usual, losing his characteristic exuberance, and Harry always seemed to be lost in dark thoughts somewhere.  
  
When the other Gryffindors came down to find the Dream Team laughing as brightly as they used to, as if they had no worries, the ones who came down felt as if the weight they all felt on their shoulders had been lifted slightly. For the first time since the beginning of the school year people began to smile and realise that things might look dark, but that just meant that they would have to work to make light.  
  
..............................................................  
  
Another annoying note from Coconut~ice: Wow, well thank you for an incredible read! That last bit I would like to express my gratitude for! As much as I love you all, I think it was beginning to get a lil' serious. There can't be a single person who doesn't think this was worth the wait? Well the next chapter should be coming to you from Tassadar359 in a few weeks! Like what you see here? Want more? Then it is easily resolved, read some more of Shades of Grey's work, all of it is fantastic!  
  
Oh and the disclaimer: Everything is disclaimed, apart from the ideas that make up this fiction. Other wise it belongs to some huge companies that I can't be bothered to list right now. 


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